BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. As part of COP29 in Baku, Trend News Agency proudly presents COP for Hope, a special project offering an unparalleled platform to hear from world leaders and trailblazers in politics, economics, science, and ecology, all united by a shared commitment to addressing today’s pressing climate challenges.
Today, we spoke with Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Azerbaijan Maksat Mamytkanov. He emphasized that Kyrgyzstan has high hopes for COP29.
"For the first time, our country is opening its own pavilion at such a large-scale environmental event, which we are showcasing to the world today. Here, we present authentic, nationally produced eco-friendly products and, importantly, household and cultural items that symbolize our view of the world and the values of the Kyrgyz people," the diplomat said.
According to him, COP29 is an event that Kyrgyzstan expects a lot from.
"We aim to promote our agenda at the UN platform on climate change issues, and one of the priority topics is the 'Mountain Dialogue' initiative. As a mountainous country, Kyrgyzstan is working to start a productive dialogue on climate issues, especially those related to the rapid melting of glaciers, degradation of water resources, and other climate-related threats. These issues are becoming increasingly urgent, and their consequences are inevitable," he added.
Mamatkanov underscored that the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov leads this initiative, and at COP29, on international platforms, discussions will focus on how to draw the world's attention to the problems of mountain countries.
"The mountain theme is crucial for the future development of Kyrgyzstan, as the degradation of water resources leads to a reduction in our water and energy potential, which in turn negatively impacts agriculture and the economy as a whole. The loss of water resources directly affects our agricultural capabilities and limits economic growth. This affects not only the economy but also social issues.
Therefore, for us, environmental issues are a priority task connected with the sustainable development of the country. The contribution of the private sector to GDP is significant, and we must create conditions for people so that the negative impacts of climate change do not undermine their economic opportunities," he added.
Besides, according to him, Kyrgyzstan, as a state, is obliged to provide the necessary support, and in this matter, they also need assistance from the UN.
"We call on international organizations to assist in creating conditions where we can support our economically active population. Additionally, an important part of our strategy is the development of tourism — both eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which contributes to the diversification of the economy. This attracts more people to economic processes, creates jobs, and strengthens the economic well-being of our people," the ambassador stressed.
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